Assistant Li nodded and moved closer to Ye Ruihuan.
The cold voice reached Lin Ruijiao's ears, making her heart skip a beat. Why was Assistant Li with Ye Ruihuan? Damn it, she'd found out after all.
"What is it?" Ye Ruihuan continued sorting through the pile of clothes.
"She's asking about work arrangements," Assistant Li reported truthfully.
"Tell her to go find Ye Zhi," Ye Ruihuan said dismissively.
"Understood." Assistant Li immediately relayed the message. "Miss Lin, Sister Ye says to contact Sister Ye Zhi. I'll send you her contact information."
"Thank you, and thank Ruihuan for me." Lin Ruijiao hastily expressed her gratitude, her heart still racing. The matter had reached Ye Ruihuan after all. But at least she'd achieved her goal—she just needed a legitimate reason to meet Ye Zhi.
She wasn't familiar with Ye Zhi, only knowing her as Ye Ruihuan's half-sister. Their relationship was a mystery—neither particularly good nor bad. But professionally, she was absolutely reliable, managing ninety percent of Huarui Entertainment's operations single-handedly. Perhaps she could be the breakthrough in this "slave contract."
Lin Ruijiao immediately added the contact information, waiting for acceptance. Soon a message appeared: Your friend request has been accepted.
Before she could compose a message, her phone rang.
"Is this Lin Ruijiao? I'm Ye Zhi." A calm, clear voice came through the phone.
"Yes, yes, hello Sister Ye Zhi," she quickly responded.
"What do you need? If you have something to say, say it quickly."
"Hello Sister Ye Zhi, Ruihuan said to contact you about my work arrangements." Faced with such directness, Lin Ruijiao dropped all pleasantries and got straight to the point.
The other end seemed to pause for a long moment before responding, "Fine. Come to the company tomorrow to see me."
"Thank you, Sister Ye Zhi."
"Good. If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up." Ye Zhi abruptly ended the call. What was that Ye Ruihuan up to, constantly dumping troublesome matters on her? She couldn't help but sigh deeply.
After receiving confirmation, Lin Ruijiao's face broke into a smile. Ye Zhi's style was refreshingly direct—tomorrow's conversation should go smoothly. She mentally reviewed what had happened around this time in her previous life, but finding no useful information, decided to improvise.
Meanwhile, Ye Ruihuan was still selecting gowns. After examining dozens, none quite satisfied her. If time weren't so tight, she would have commissioned a custom design. Finally, after much deliberation, she settled on an acceptable dress.
By the time she finished choosing, it was very late, but Ye Ruihuan still carefully went through each detail with Assistant Li. Soon she would see Yulan—she was eagerly anticipating that day.
A smile unconsciously curved her lips as she drifted off to sleep. But in the days without seeing Lin Ruijiao, the dreams returned.
Ye Ruihuan entered under the starlight—they were at the Yuwan Villa. The lovely figure inside immediately rose to greet her.
"Ruihuan, you're back!" Lin Ruijiao said joyfully, her eyes sparkling like stars scattered across the night sky.
"Were you waiting for me?" Ye Ruihuan was puzzled—Lin Ruijiao had never acted this way around her before.
"Of course, I've been waiting for you to come home." Lin Ruijiao affectionately linked arms with her, leading her inside.
Home? Her home was at Guiting Court. Despite her confusion, she followed along.
"Why are you so distant today?" Lin Ruijiao asked sweetly, her voice soft and coquettish.
Ye Ruihuan said nothing. Wasn't she always like this? She felt strange.
"I missed you so much." Lin Ruijiao pressed against her, gazing directly at her with starlike eyes, long lashes fluttering, pure and sweet.
Somehow, meeting such a gaze, she found herself saying, "I missed you too."
"I knew you missed me." Lin Ruijiao blushed—whether from shyness or happiness, Ye Ruihuan couldn't tell from her smiling face.
The scene shifted. Lin Ruijiao wore pure white silk pajamas, thin fabric clinging tightly to her perfect curves. If they were any more transparent...
Ye Ruihuan quickly averted her gaze, only then noticing she was also wearing a robe.
Lying on the bed, Lin Ruijiao propped her head on one hand and smiled alluringly. Her sideways position revealed a tantalizing glimpse of spring, her luminous, delicate skin exposed to the air.
Ye Ruihuan unconsciously swallowed. What was this little rabbit doing? What was she doing?
"What's wrong? Ruihuan, come here." The little goblin on the bed called to her, her voice soft yet incredibly seductive, each word a temptation.
Ye Ruihuan found herself moving closer uncontrollably. Her hand touched the other's skin—translucent and smooth, feeling so good she was reluctant to pull away. Her wildly beating heart drove away all reason. She lost consciousness, acting purely on instinct as she leaned down for a kiss, then another, and another.
Lin Ruijiao's lotus-white arms wound around her neck, leaning in to meet her in passionate dance...
Ye Ruihuan woke with the dream's intoxicating sensations still reverberating through her heart. Her heart wouldn't stop racing. She'd truly had a nightmare—how could she dream such things?! Previous dreams had been innocent kisses at most, but this dream's content was crystal clear, replaying before her eyes as if reminding her of exactly how inappropriate her dream actions had been.
Could it be that her subconscious liked Lin Ruijiao? No way—she couldn't possibly like her that much... For the first time, Ye Ruihuan began questioning her own heart.
Now whenever she thought of Lin Ruijiao, her mind uncontrollably conjured those alluring dream images, leaving her parched and restless. She'd better avoid seeing her for a while—if she actually did something inappropriate, it would be disastrous...
Lin Ruijiao rose at dawn to prepare herself, selecting a simple dress—elegant and appropriate for meeting Ye Zhi. She carefully applied makeup until everything looked perfect.
She notified Sister Wang in advance—they would go together. After all, Sister Wang was her manager, and she'd been without work for so long. This was a good opportunity to get arrangements for both of them.
When they arrived at Huarui Entertainment's entrance, Sister Wang began to shrink back. The towering building before them was intimidating. So this was Ye Ruihuan's company—truly impressive, worthy of a major corporation.
Looking at the familiar building, memories flashed through Lin Ruijiao's mind. In her previous life, she'd only come here a few times, always to argue with Ye Ruihuan—never pleasant visits.
She walked in confidently, immediately approaching the reception desk to be escorted to Ye Zhi's office. The elevator reached the eleventh floor. Lin Ruijiao followed the receptionist calmly while Sister Wang looked around nervously.
Come to think of it, she'd only been to Ye Ruihuan's twelfth-floor office before—this was her first time visiting Ye Zhi's.
"Come in." A clear, serious voice responded.
They entered as the receptionist closed the door behind them.
"Hello, Sister Ye Zhi."
"Hello, Boss Ye."
Ye Zhi, seated behind her desk, looked up at them directly, her eyes sharp and penetrating.
"You must be Lin Ruijiao." She rose and moved to the black leather sofa. "Come sit." She skillfully poured tea for both of them.
"I hear you like acting?" Ye Zhi's smile was perfectly measured, though her eyes remained emotionless.
"Yes." Lin Ruijiao nodded with a gentle smile.
"Let me be clear—I'm not Ye Ruihuan. I won't promote you without reason." Ye Zhi's tone was light as she lifted her teacup to smell the aroma.
The tea was perfectly brewed—fragrant and elegant.
"I understand, but promoting me would definitely be the right choice." Lin Ruijiao's smile was soft, yet carried unmistakable confidence and composure.
"Really? Based on your years of playing extras?" Ye Zhi's tone was teasing, her eyes cold.
"Investing in me won't disappoint you." Lin Ruijiao's words were firm with conviction.
Ye Zhi considered this thoughtfully. "Fine. Let's see how you perform in Moonlight Serenade first." Without arrangements, Ye Ruihuan would only find more fault. Ye Zhi decided on a compromise.
"Good, but I..." Before Lin Ruijiao could continue, Ye Zhi interrupted.
"No rush. Your manager can train and study at the company while helping you negotiate commercial resources." Ye Zhi sipped her tea before continuing, "The company has dormitories—your manager can live here. As for an assistant, we'll arrange one soon."
"Then we'll follow Sister Ye Zhi's arrangements. Thank you."
"Thank you, Boss Ye." Sister Wang, who hadn't spoken throughout, repeatedly expressed gratitude. Finally, they had some security.
"Don't thank me yet. If you make no impact in Moonlight Serenade everything is meaningless." Ye Zhi spoke slowly with a businessman's hollow smile.
"Understood. Thank you, Sister Ye Zhi." Lin Ruijiao's steady gaze burned with confident ambition.
"My secretary will handle the paperwork shortly." Ye Zhi indicated Sister Wang.
"Thank you, Boss Ye."
Soon the secretary led Sister Wang away, leaving just the two of them. Ye Zhi leisurely sipped her tea while Lin Ruijiao did the same—quite different from Ye Ruihuan's tea, with an elegant, refreshing fragrance.
"Ruijiao, you haven't fallen for Ye Ruihuan, have you?" Ye Zhi asked with apparent amusement, her eyes now full of interest.
Lin Ruijiao immediately choked on her tea. "...cough... How could I?"
"Good. Don't be like that fool Ye Ruihuan." The amusement in Ye Zhi's eyes didn't fade. Many things couldn't be easily explained, but she trusted her sharp instincts. Perhaps Lin Ruijiao was the exception for Ye Ruihuan.
"Sister Ye Zhi, I hope my future work won't be influenced by Ye Ruihuan." After hesitating, she voiced this request.
Ye Zhi raised an eyebrow—she hadn't expected such a demand. "That's not up to me. Ye Ruihuan manages my work too." Seeing Lin Ruijiao's determined expression, she seemed to understand something. "Fine. I can only say I'll try."
"Thank you, Sister Ye Zhi." Lin Ruijiao smiled in return.
"We've covered everything, finished our tea... so please see yourself out."
"Thank you again, Sister Ye Zhi." Lin Ruijiao gave one final grateful bow.
News of Lin Ruijiao's visit to see Ye Zhi spread quickly through the company. Everyone had heard about this newly signed artist, their boss's favorite, and stories of Ye Ruihuan personally promoting newcomers were already circulating in the industry.
As she left Ye Zhi's office, numerous gazes focused on her with whispered discussions. Having just finished successful negotiations, Lin Ruijiao was too happy to notice the commotion.
As she entered the elevator, two elegantly dressed women joined her. Not only did they look somewhat alike, but Lin Ruijiao found their faces strangely familiar, as if she'd seen them somewhere before, though she couldn't recall where.
"So this is our boss's new protégé?" The woman in pink sneered with obvious disdain and jealousy.
"Rather ordinary-looking. Wonder what our boss sees in her?" The long-haired woman chimed in.
Lin Ruijiao looked at these two women in confusion. Were they targeting her? She didn't think she knew them. Looking at their faces, they seemed increasingly familiar. Yes, that was it—they resembled Dong Yulan.
Lin Ruijiao's heart plummeted into icy depths. So this was how it was? Apparently she'd missed much in her previous life. Ye Ruihuan had more than one substitute—how many more surprises were there that she didn't know about? Lin Ruijiao felt utterly disgusted.
"Right? I heard she's just an extra?" The other woman mocked her with complete disdain.
"Yes, I'm just an extra who barely knows your boss. Excuse me, please." Lin Ruijiao stared coldly ahead.
The elevator doors opened and she walked straight out, leaving the two women staring at each other in bewilderment.
Meanwhile, after selecting her gown, Ye Ruihuan moved on to accessories, even pre-booking a professional makeup team. But strangely, as the gala approached, her excitement waned. Lin Ruijiao's face kept flashing through her mind, along with her incredibly alluring dream appearance, making Ye Ruihuan frown.
"Sister Ye, is something wrong?" Assistant Li noticed and asked.
"No." Ye Ruihuan was lost in thought. Could she actually like Lin Ruijiao? That ordinary, unremarkable vase? That clueless little rabbit? Various images of Lin Ruijiao cycled through her mind—it was maddening. She couldn't keep thinking such nonsense. Today she would see Yulan—she needed to prepare properly. Ye Ruihuan drank some ice water to clear her head.
Evening finally arrived. Ye Zhi and she shared a car to XX Gardens.
"Wow, you look beautiful today." Ye Zhi's praise was genuine—her own careful preparation seemed plain in comparison.
Ye Ruihuan had softly curled long hair, perfect makeup, and wore a gradient blue-purple mermaid gown. From head to toe, everything was luxury brand—exquisite, expensive, beautiful, and elegant.
Even Ye Zhi found it hard to look away.
"You look nice too." Ye Ruihuan's response was perfunctory.
"Don't say anything inappropriate later—better yet, don't speak at all." Ye Zhi warned uneasily.
"...You're annoying." Ye Ruihuan checked her makeup in a compact mirror.
The XX Gardens gala was private, attended mostly by the wealthy and powerful. After assistants submitted invitations, they departed through side entrances.
Looking at the golden, magnificent hall, even Ye Zhi commented, "This place is incredible—pure money." Everything gleamed with gold, filled with recognizable luxury brands, even the ceramic vases were antiques.
Ye Ruihuan paid no attention to such things. She barely understood tonight's theme—her sole target was Dong Yulan. She'd come only to see her; nothing else mattered.
But clearly, upon entering, all eyes focused on her. Numerous celebrities approached with greetings, familiar and strange alike. Some men even prepared to chat her up, seeing who could win over the industry's famously difficult Boss Ye.
Ye Ruihuan ignored them all, searching for Dong Yulan. Finally, she spotted her in a corner—wearing a white gown with flowing sleeves, lace trim on the hem and cuffs, elegant and gentle, still beautiful. She stood out brilliantly among Xia Dongyang and their group.
Ye Ruihuan walked toward her, her expression unconsciously softening.
Dong Yulan turned and saw her, smiling back. "Ruihuan, long time no see. You've gotten even more beautiful."
"Yulan, long time no see. So have you." Ye Ruihuan's expression grew even gentler, ripples stirring in her eyes.
Xia Dongyang beside her maintained his usual hostile, guarded look.
They remained loving and blissfully happy. Ye Ruihuan felt her expression freeze, unable to control it. Seeing how out of place she was among them, she felt an urge to flee.
"Ruihuan, I heard you're promoting a newcomer?" Dong Yulan asked with gossipy curiosity.
"Ah?" She didn't immediately comprehend.
"What promoting? Just a company newcomer who needs guidance." Ye Zhi appeared from nowhere.
"That makes sense." Dong Yulan smiled warmly, teasingly adding, "When Ruihuan gets a partner, don't hide it—bring they for everyone to meet!"
"Mm-hmm." She nodded, looking down. Everyone was moving forward while she seemed stuck circling in place, trapped in her self-imposed limitations. Inexplicably, bitterness welled up in her heart.
The gala was indeed this boring—she shouldn't have come. Despite her high expectations, seeing the person she wanted to see didn't bring the imagined joy. Suddenly, Lin Ruijiao's face flashed through her mind.
She looked around for Ye Zhi, finding her drinking leisurely in a corner with Ye Junhua beside her. When had their relationship become so close?
"Ye Zhi, I'm leaving first. Enjoy yourself."
Ye Ruihuan immediately left for Yuwan Villa. What was Lin Ruijiao doing? Would she be waiting? She unconsciously let her thoughts drift toward her dream scenarios.